Automatic gear shift



Jan. 13, 1925 1,522,834 C. B. PERKINS AUTOMATI C GEAR SH l FT Filed Deo. 4, 1918' 4 sheets-sheet 1 I @wom/woz "Clarence B.Perkins Jan, 13, 1925.

c. B. PERKINS AUTOMATIC GEAR SHlFT Filed Dec. 4, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Clarence El.Perkins 'S1/wanton Jan, 13, 1925.

c. B. PERKINS AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT l Filed Deo. 4, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Blarence El Per'kms @www1/hoz 3&5 @j

' www# Jan, 13, `1925.

C. B. PERKINS AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT Filed Deo. 4, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 B'larne EQPr'kns Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

UNITED-.STATES CLARENCE IB. PERKINS, OF ILION, NEW YORK AUTOMATIC kGEAR SHIFT.

Application led December 4, 1918. Serial No. 265,232.

To all w/om t may concern.' n

Be it known that I, CLARENCE B. PERKINS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Ilion, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic Gear Shift, of which the following is a specification.

rllhis invention relates to improvements in the transmission gear structure of motor.

vehicles, and an object of the invention is to provide means for automatically shifting the speed-change gears.

The imperfection of the type of gear shifting mechanisms now in common useV in connection with the popular makes of cars is evident particularly when a car is brought to a stop at a street or railroadcrossing, especially at street crossings where traiiic is controlled by a policeman.' At such a point, when ready to start7 the motorist 'should be on the alert and direct his attention tol the steering` and throttle control and not find it necessary to shift from neutral into low by reaching down and grasping a hand lever. In the large cities quick "action in starting is essential. .It is therefore the practice to bring the car to a stop at a street crossing,

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to press the pedal controlling the clutch and hold it in such position, at the same timer operating the gear shiftingleverto'flovv. Often it is necessary to Ahold the clutch out of engagement for several seconds which is 'great wear and tear on. thel clutch rollers The 'motorist does s and other mechanisms. l l. this so' as to be ableL tok start immediately when the signal is given to, proceed. It is considered too dilatory to leave the gear shift lever in. neutral and relieve the pressure on the clutch pedal while waiting for the signal, since under these conditions it is necessary to first depress the clutch mechanism and then move the gear shift lever to first or low; and it is an object of this'invention to provide an automatic shifting mechanism which will avoid all'of the above inconveniences and'lwhich leaves the operator'free to direct his undivided attentiontoward steering and throttle control. y

Another object of the invention is topprovide a plurality of controlling pins to permit selective control of the kshifting of the speed-'change gears. and to provide a mechanism coacting with said pins and the ordinary clutch pedal,` whereby the action re-r sulting from the depression of one ofthe pins and the subsequent shifting of the clutch pedal will first disconnect the clutch and then automatically shift the gears into the desired speed as indicated by the pin depressed; and further to provide means operated during the connection of the clutch to` return the gear shifting mechanism to vits normal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for locking the pins when depressed and also to provide a construction" whereby when one of the controlling pins is depressed it will release any controlling pin which has been previously depressed.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereafter and will be in part understood and in part disclosed in, the following detailed description of preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings wherein: 4

Figure l is a fragmentary section through an ordinary motor vehicle showing the improved automatic gear shift applied thereto. Figure 2 is a horizontal section thro-ugh ythe shifting' mechanism and the operating indicated by the arrow 3.

Figure i is asection taken on the line A-A of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated bythe arrow 4.

Figure is an endxview of the shifting mechanism.

Figure 6 is ahorizontal section through .the lselective controlling means.

Figure y7 isa vertical section through the selective Acontrolling means.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail of one of the depressible pins of the selective controlling mechanism. V

Figure 9 is a top plan of the selectir'f'e controlling mechanism, and l Figure l0 is a vertical section through the speed-change gears.

` Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the selective control means A is preferably carried by the steering post l of an ordinary motor vehicle in such. posi-v tionthat it may be `conveniently reached and operated by the driver of the vehicle. This selective controlling means .r is connected,

by suitable connecting mechanism to the shifting mechanism B for shifting the speed-change gears C of the motor vehicle. The shifting mechanism B is operated by the operation of the 'selective controlling means A to permit theY adjustment thereof to properly move the gea-rs C to place the gear selected into operative connection with the prime mover or driving power of the motor vehicle and this shifting mechanism, is operated by the depression of the clutch pedal 2 of the motor vehicle through the medium of the operating` mechanism D.

The selective controlling mechanism A comprises a suitable casing 5 which is attached by means of a clamp structure G to the steering post 1 of the motor vehicle. A plurality of pins 7 are slidably carried by the casing 5, being held in extended or upper position by flat springs 3 which engage in notches 9 formed in the pins 7. These pins 7 have caps or heads 10 upon their outer ends bearing letters or suitable indicia to indi-- v cate the respective gears of the speed-change gears C, the operative shifting of which they control. For instance, the two end or outermost pins 7 which control the shifting of the gears C into neutral position carry the letter N or other suitable indiiciaupon the heads 10 thereof, while the other pins carry suitable indicia upon their heads to indicate low speed, intermediate, high and reverse as clearly shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. Each of the pins 7 is provided with superposed notches 11 which terminate in square shoulders at their lower'end and are adapted to receive therein the rib 12 formed upon a locking bar 13. The locking bar 13 is held in a locking position by a flat spring 14, the rib 12 thereof resting in the lowermost recesses of the pins when the latter are in their extended position. lVhen one of the pins 7 is depressed, the locking bar 13, is moved awav from the pin, it riding over the upper inclined side of the notch 11 and moving into the uppermost notch of the depressed pin at which time the spring 14 again moves it inwardly to lock the pin in its depressed position. The locking bar 13 is supported by or suspended within the casing 5 by a pair of pivotally mounted links 15 which are connected to the ends of a rod 1G. The rod 16 is supported by suitable means within the casing and extends across the same to connect the ends of the locking bar 13. The upper inclined sides 17 of the lowermost notches 11 are provided with oppositely kinclined portions 13 which permit the release of any depressed pin, upon the depression of a second pm, prior to the movement of the lockingbar 13 into a locking position, thereby allowing the said re- .leased pin to be moved upwardly or into its extended position by means of the spring 8 connected thereto, resulting in `the elimina- -tion of the improper operation of the gears C owing to the fact that only one pin may remain depressed at a time.

The depressed pin will limit the swinging movementof the arm 19, which is mounted within the casing and has one end keyed to the upper end of a rod 20. A suitable cushioning structure 21 is carried by the free end of the arm 19 to cushion its striking action against the pin. The rod 2O extends downwardly along the steering post- 1 and has a bevelled'pinion mounted upon its lower end which meshes with a bevelled pinion 23. The bevelled mounted upon the shaft 24 which has direct Communication with the shifting mechanism B for properly setting this mechanism. rlhe shaft 24 is connected, by means of an arm 25, which vis connected by means of a universal joint to a bell crank 26, which bell crank is in turn connected to a sleeve or cylinder 27. rlhe bell crank 26 is pivotally connected to a collar 28 which is slidably Amounted upon a rod 29, the said sleevel 27 being held at a remote or extended position from the pivot 30 of the rod by a spiral spring 31. The sleeve or cylinder 27 has a removable head 32 in one end thereof to which a rod 33 is connected. The rod 33 has a forked head 34 which carries a pair of rollers The rollers 35 are engaged by an arm 3G which is in turn directly connected to the clutch pedal 2 so that when the clutch pedal 2 is depressed, it will rotate the shaft 24, rotating the segmental rack 37 which meshes with a disc 3S mounted upon the main shaft 39 of the shifting mechanism B. The shaft 39 extends axially through the casing 40 of the shifting mechanism B and it has an arm .41 keyed thereon. A. disc 42 is carried by one side of the arm 41 near its outer end and this disc is adapted to be moved into alignment with any one of the pins 43, 44, 45er 46 upon the rotation of the shaft 39, the position of the disc being regulated by the pins 7, the movement of the said arm 41 and the disc 42 being controll'ed by the pins 'i for permitting the selection of the positioning of the speedchange gears C. These pins 43 and 44 are carried by a bar 47 which is pivotally connected t-o a suitable block 43 within the housing 40 while the pins 45 and 46 are carried by an arm 49 which is pivotally connected to the block 48. The pins 43 and 45 are positioned upon opposite sides of the pivot of their respective carrying arm from the pins 44 and 46, and all of these project substantially the same distances upon each side of their carrying arms, so that they may be engaged by the disc 50, to move the arms 47 Vand 49 into straight position. The disc 50 is carried by a sleeve 51 which is slidably mounted upon the shaft 39,

pinion 23 isV A' channeled collar 52 is keyed uponthe sleeve 51 and it receives in the channel thereof the forked end of a lever 53. The lever 53 is pivotally connected, at 54 to the outer end of a lever' 55. This lever 55 is pivotally mounted upona suitable pin 56, and it has its end 'remote from the end which is pivoted to tlielevei53 forked and connected to a channeled collar 57 which is keyed upon the shaft39. A rod 58 is connected to the lever 53 intermediate its ends andit has a head 59 removably mounted thereon which is seated in the cylinder or sleeve 27. The head 59 is slidably mounted within the cylinder 27 and isadapted to enga-ge against the removable head 60 of the cylinder rfor operating or moving the rod 58 by the movement of the rod 33. f

The arm 49 extends outwardly through the upper portion of the housing 40 and iis connected to an arm 61 whichis pivotally connected intermediate its ends to a ksuitable supporting'bracket 63. The arm 61 is connected to a rod 64 which is in turn connected to the high and intermediate gears of the speed-change gears C. Thejarm 47 `is connected at 'its outer end to the rod 65 which is in turn connected to the lo-w and reverse speed gears for shifting the same.

In Figure 10, an approved type of speedchange gearing is illustrated, butit is to be understood than any ordinaryor approved .type of speed-change gearing may beeinyployed in lieiiofthat shown in this figure without departing from the spirit of the invention.

When it is desired to shift they gear into low, the pin '7 which carries the indicia relating to `low is depressed, and when the clutch pedal 2 is depressed, the rod 33 will be moved longitudinally, towards the left Ain Figure 2 and this movement will disen- .pini43. The further depressing movement of the pedal 2 will connect the 'rods 58 and disc 59 inwardly, striking all ofthe pins 43, 44, 45 and 46 and moving themto move the 'gea-rs of the mechanism B intona neutral position while further movement of the clutch pedal will rock the lever 55 upon its pivot and shift the shaft 39 in the opposite direction to which the sleeve 51 and the disk 50 were shifted, causing' the ydisc 42 to strike the pin 43 with which it is in alignment and rock the arm 47 to shift the shaft or rod 65 as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings, to move the gear 67 into mesh with the pinion 68 to operate the motor vehicle at low speed. The disc 50 is provided with a recess 66 extending inwardly from its periphery, which recess is positioned, during the rotation of the shaft 39 and the vdise `42 tok pass through the opening to allow the proper operation of the rod to which the lever is connected.

Springs 69 and 70 are coiled about the shaft 39 engaging the block 48 and the arm 4l and disc 50 respectively for returning these members to their normal positions after operation or movement by the pivotal movement of the levers 53 and 55.

When it is desired to shift the gears into high the pin 7 carrying the indicia relating to high is depressed, and the disc 42 carried by the arm 41 will be moved in the manner heretofore described, intoA alignment with the pin 45 which will shift the gear 71 into operative position. The pin 46 controls the shifting of the gear 72, to provide for the intermediate speed while the pin 44 controls the shifting of the gear 67 `for reversing the direction of travel of the motor vehic-le.

, The mechanism indicated at 73 in Figure 10 is merely provided for preventing accidental shifting movement of the rod and is commonly employed inr the speed-change gears of-motor vehicles, it forming no part of this invention.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that upon the depression or movement of the rclutch pedal 2, the clutch' will first be disconnected, during which movement the shifting mechanism B will be properly set, m accordance with. theoperation of the sefu'rtlier shifting or continuous'movementr of .theclutch pedal 2will`shift the sleeve 51and shaft' 39 for operating the shifting mechanism Bto shift the gears ofthe speed-change n 4 gear mechanism C. The levers o@ and 55 remaining inoperative 'duringthe movement Vof the rod 33 and :the sleeve 27, or until the 33 through the medium of the lieadf59tov` first rock the leverk 53 which will move the head 59`of the rod 58 engages the head 60, thus'permitting of the proper positioning of the lever 41 prior to the shifting of the sleeve and shaft 39.

mechanism for motor lectivecontrolling mechanism A qafter'which the levers and 55 will he -operated-,*the

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I clutch operating pedal comprising a rod,

pedal oiy a motor vehicle, ot a vshitting mechanisin comprising a pair oi pivotally supported arms, adapted to have connection with said speed-change gears, pins carried by said arms, a disc adapted toengagesaid pins to move saidarms into a neutral A'position, and means connecting said disc and said clutch pedal tor operating the dise upon depression of the clutclr pedal.

2. In gearsliitting mechanism for Vmotor vehicles, the conibination With the' speed-- change gears, clutch'and clutch operating pedal oi a motor veliicle,-o"f a-shit-ingmechanism coniprisingl 'a pair of pivoted arms, pins carried by said *arms` adjustable means adapted tor engagement with any one of said vehicles, the combination With the speedpins to roclrthe arm carrying the pin en-` change gears and clutch operating pedalof gaged, means' operatively. connecting-said a motor vehicle, cfa shiitinganechanism clutch pedaland said vadjustable means Vfior adapted to haveconnection with said speedrst adjusting the position oit-the adjustable changegears, a rod connectedto said clutch means andtheiroperating the-said means to pedal, a cylinderfconnected tosaid rod, ad- =rock onset rsaidarms, and selectii'f'e` meansejustable means for 'operating said shifting independently of said clutch .pedaltor regumechanism, means connecting saidcylinder lating the adjusted movement of said adjustable means, and'means operated by depression of said clutch pedal `for movingsaid arms into' a neutral position prior' tothe rocking of the 'arms' by saidf-adjustable means. f 1

3. In gear shifting mechanism forinotor vehicles, a shifting mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally supportedarins,pins carried by said `arms, a shaft, a pin-engaging -member carried by said shaft, means tor rotating` said shaft to positionsaid pin-engaging member in alignmentivith one pin ment of the shifting means into a neutral carried 'by one of said arms,'ineans formovposition. ing said shaftlongitudinally to'V rock the- 7. In gear shitting mechanism for motor arm by engagement of said pin-engaging vehicles, the combination with thel speedmeans with one of said pins, and selective means for controlling thelrotation of said shaft, a disc slidably mounted upon said shatt. and means tor operating saidv` disc prior to longitudinal movement of the shaft tor moving said arms into a neutral position.

4. In gear shifting mechanism ormotor vehicles, the combination Withthe speedchange gears,v clutch and clutch operating pedal of a motor vehicle, of a shifting mechanism adapted to have connection With said "speed-change gears, means for operating said shifting mechanism by the operation of said adjustable means prior to the transmission of movement to said second rod.

5. In gear shifting mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination With the speeda motor vehicle, of a shifting mechanism adapted to have connection with said speedchange gears, a rod connected to said clutch pedal, a cylinder connected to said rod, ad-

Ymechanism` i'neans connecting said cylinder and said adjustable means for adjusting the position of the adjustable means upon movement of the cylinder.

position of the adjustablemeans upon move- `mentotthe cylinder, a second rod, ahead upon said second rod slidably seated in said cylinder, means connectedi'to said second rod for moving said shifting` mechanism into second rod, said cylinder and headY arranged to permit limited movement of the *cylinder'prior to the transmission 4oit Inovea motor vehicle, of a shifting mechanism adapted to have connection with said speed- -change gears, a rod connected tosaid clutch mechanism, means connecting said cylinder and vsaid adjustable means 'for adjusting the position of the adjustablemeans upon moveement of the cylinder, a second rod, ahead cylinder, means Vconnected to said second rod for moving said shifting mechanism into a neutral position u'pon movement of the second rod, said cylinderand head arranged to -permit limited movement of the cylinder prior to the transmission of movement to the second rod, whereby said adjusting means may be adjusted prior to movement of the yshifting means into'a neutral position, and

a cylinder mounted upon one end of said rod, a second rod, a head upon said second rod and slidablymounted in said cylinder, operating' means for said shifting mechanism connected to said second rod, said first rod adapted to move a limited distance -prior to the transmission of movement to said second rod, adjustable means for regulating the operation of said shifting mechanism?, and means connected to said cylinder `and said adjustable means for operating the erating said adjustable means subsequent to the operation of said means which move said shifting mechanism into a neutral position.

CLARENCE B. PERKINQ,

-justable means for voperatingfsaid shifting 6. In gear shitting mechanism for motor and said adjustablemeans for adjusting the nient to the second rod, whereby said adjust-A ing'means may be adjusted prior to movemeans connected Vto said second rod for opchange gears and clutch operating pedal oi"` neutral position upon movement of the change gears and clutch operatingpedal of pedal, a cylinder connected to said rod, adjustable means for operating said shitting" upon said secondV rod slidably seated-in saidL 

